Vasomotor symptoms (hot flushes and/or night sweats) affect approximately 80% of women over the menopause transition and can affect quality of life, productivity, and relationships. Vasomotor symptoms are the main reason for seeking treatment during the menopausal transition. Although menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) is effective for symptom management, the majority of symptomatic women do not take MHT. In this article, we review the evidence for non-hormonal treatments for vasomotor symptoms, including pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches, and provide a clinical algorithm for managing symptomatic women.
Keywords: Menopause; breast cancer; hot flush; menopausal hormone therapy; non-hormonal; non-pharmacological; vasomotor.